Ewan McKenna: Italy are rugby’s also-rans,

Italy clings to a Six Nations place while other countries can’t get a foot in the door

Are Italy out of their depth in the Six Nations? Pic: Getty

First question up: had they a continuing right to be a part of the tournament? Some at the Six Nations launch thought it unfair that Sergio Parisse should have to defend his team before Italy had so much as veered into this Six Nations.

But even in advance of the latest disaster they’d been an abject failure, a kid invited to the adult’s table only for sauce to drip down his shirt while ...